- Legally changed her name to Portia Lee James DeGeneres on September 23, 2010, taking the last name of her spouse Ellen DeGeneres.
- First husband Mel Metcalfe left her to be with de Rossi's brother Michael Roger's wife, Renee Kappos. Metcalfe and Kappos eventually married.
- Admitted to have married her first husband Mel Metcalfe mainly in order to obtain a Green Card for a permanent stay in the US. De Rossi didn't acknowledge her attraction towards women when they married.
- Her wedding with Ellen DeGeneres on August 16, 2008, took place at their house in Beverly Hills, California, and was attended by her mother and brother and by Ellen's parents.
- Her father died when she was nine years old.
- Got the role of Nell Porter on Ally McBeal (1997) after Vanessa Marcil was forced to turn it down, due to signing on to Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990).
- Sang backing vocals on now ex-girlfriend's Francesca Gregorini's album "Sequel" (2003).
- Shares a birthday with her grandmother, who was born in 1907.
- Started her own art company General Public in May 2017.
- Shares a birthday with Arrested Development (2003) costar Jessica Walter.
- Got her role in Who Is Cletis Tout? (2001) after Sarah Michelle Gellar turned it down.
- Has two nieces named Eva and Perry Rogers. Parents are her older brother Michael and Casey Rogers.
- Born on a Wednesday at 3:00 AM.
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